Friends Of The Library: Costa Mesa library hosting book sale

August 20, 2011|By Mary Ellen Goddard

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 27 and noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 28, you can browse and buy books in the Community Room at the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library, 1855 Park Ave., Costa Mesa. There are lots of really great books at bargain prices. For information, call the library at (949) 646-8845.

Three story times are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and Aug. 31, enjoy a free Family Movie Night. There's also an extra one at 2 p.m. Aug. 30, along with the Mystery Book Club meeting at 6:30 p.m. The book is Ross MacDonald's "The Way Some People Die."

"Keeping our minds alive and healthy is the most important step we can take to ensure a civil society," says Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. "We are all facing difficult questions about how best to use limited resources. Our country has a great asset in its libraries and museums. Their infrastructure reaches nearly every community in the U.S., with expert staff, great content, technology and physical spaces, and most importantly deep knowledge about community needs. Libraries and museums are hubs for civic ingenuity and part of the solution to many of our most important community challenges."

What Hildreth didn't say is that just as we have to feed our minds — and our bodies — to keep them healthy, libraries also must receive support from the communities they serve. Certainly this means monetary support, but more than that it means being interested, getting to know their services, their staffs, and volunteering if you are able.

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Budget for Libraries is Based on Use

Did you know that the amount of money allocated to the public libraries in Costa Mesa is affected by the actions of Costa Mesa residents? Part of the budget is based on usage, so each time a resident goes outside the city to use another library equals less money for the Costa Mesa libraries. "They didn't have the book I wanted," you say. You can order the book through Costa Mesa — it is probably available in the Orange County Public Library system, or one of their cooperating libraries — and pick it up there a few days later.